Sports Turf Industry Fact Sheet

Annual purchases of sports turf products and services is over $1.29 billion on over 2.8 million acres. That's approximately $457 per acre. These figures do not include salaries.

Parks and recreation makes up $480 million in annual purchases while schools are at $685 million, college/universities $71 million, and professional facilities spend approximately $52 million.

Professional sports facilities average approximately 15 acres spending $4,333 per acre, colleges/universities spend $1, 075 per acre on an average of 30 acres, schools spend $658 per acre on an average of 65 acres, and parks spend an average of $284 per acre over 130 acres.

Average annual spending on equipment and supplies at colleges/universities is $32,300, while parks spend $38,850. Schools spend $42,750 and professional facilities spend $65,000.

The average sports turf manager has worked in the industry for 13 years.

Two in three sports turf managers have a four-year college degree or an advanced degree.

The average crew has 16 full-time staff and five part-time. Seasonal staff average is approximately nine.

It is estimated that there are approximately 16,000 schools, 2,200 colleges/universities, 13,000 parks, and 800 professional facilities.

The Sports Turf Industry and Groundskeeping

A highly visible profession with tremendous growth potential.

- New facilities and field conversions.

Excellent salary bases at the top.

Less stress than managing a golf course.

Survey Results

Conducted within the Sports Turf Managers Association

Sports Turf Staff:

Average number of years in the profession was 13.

Typical manager has been in his or her current position 7.5 years, while 38% had more than ten years tenure in their present position.

NFL and MLB facilities have the smallest staffs, usually three or less permanent members. Whereas universities and municipal parks systems have an average of 7 to 11 on their turf maintenance staff.

Seasonal fluctuations in the northern climates, there is often no seasonal changes in the southern latitudes.

Only 20% of managers have a single field to maintain.

Forty-two percent of managers maintain 5 to 10 fields.

Events per Facility:

The number of events per sports complex reported ranged from a low of 8 where only a single football field was involved to >3,500 events where multiple use complexes involved youth and adults in all sports.

Other events include band practice, concerts, drill teams, religious crusades, lacrosse, field hockey, and intra-mural activities.

The need for improved playability and safer athletic fields must continuously be emphasized.

Since 95%, or more, of sports fields are built on native soils, much more research must be directed toward their improvement. Too much of the research budget at universities is being spent on solving problems of sand-based root zones.

The number one research requested, by turf managers, was improved techniques for sports field root zone construction.